Apparatus for cooling liquids.



PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

C. GROHMAN. APPARATUS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.20,1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOfi W/ TNESSES.

m w Z A n m J ky f8 a 7 ma i PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

C. GROHMAN. APPARATUS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.Z0,1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

m vavrm? (Zagles 620/22726672 A TOHNE Y8 PATENTED MAR. 28; 1905.

G. GROHMAN. APPARATUS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.20,1904.

1 N VE N 70/? d (Zaz-Zes i 'azurzan/ A HORNE Y8 WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES Patented March 28, 1905.

PATENT OEEIcE.

' APPARATUS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,113, dated March28, 1905. Application filed January 20, 1904. Serial No. 189.810.

T0 ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES GROHMAN, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Carteret, in the countyof Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new-and ImprovedApparatus for Cooling Liquids, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

The invention relates to apparatus for cooling water used for coolingpurposes in condensers and other machines.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatusfor cooling a liquid in a very simple and inexpensive manner and mainlyby the use of atmospheric air.

The invention consist-s of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointedout in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is anenlarged sectional plan view of the blower, the section being on theline 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of a modifiedform of the improvement. Fig. L is a reduced sectional plan view of thesame on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a like view of the same onthe line9 9 of Fig. 3.

The liquidsuch as the condensing-water for a condenser, for instanceisforced by a pump or otherwise through a pipeAinto the upper end of acooling-chamber B, resting on a suitable tower or other support C, andin the said cooling-chamber B is formed a circuitous passage and meansfor dividing the liquid, so that the liquid in the divided state flowsdown the said passage in the cooling-chamber and comes during itspassage in contact with a current of air forced upward through thechamber by a blower D, arranged partly in the lower portion of the saidchamber B and partly in the upper portion of a reservoir E, in which thecooled water accumulates from the cooling-chamber B. The air instead ofbeing forced upward may be forced downward by a blower D, situated inthe upper end of the cooling-chamber B. Either of the blowers D or D maybe employed, as desired that is, when the blower D is used the blower Dis not used, or vice versa.

The cooled water in the reservoir E forms a head and is utilized fordrivingaturbine F, which discharges into a tank G, from which the wateris drawn by a pipe G to the condenser or other machine in which it isused.

The turbine F above mentioned is utilized for driving the blower D andalso for driving the blower D, the -latter blower serving to force thevapors rising during the cooling process in a downward direction throughthe circuitous passage to cause a condensation of the said vapors.

The circuitous passage mentioned and arranged in the cooling-chamber Bis produced as follows: In the chamber B, directly below the inlet-pipeA, is secured an annular overflow-plate B, discharging at its innerraised overflow edge onto a plate B having its ends extending a distancefrom the wall of the chamber B, so that the water flows over the edge ofthe plate B onto an annular plate B, extending a distance from the wallof the chamber inward and somewhat in a downward direction to dischargethe water at its inner end onto a central plate B, preferably perforatedand arranged similar to the plate B -that is, terminating a distancefrom the wall of the chamber B to discharge onto the next followingplate B and this construction is repeated a number of times, so that thewater is caused to flow in a downward direction from one plate to theother and is minutely divided by flowing through the perforations in thecentral plates B". Below the lowermost perforated central plate Bisarranged a conical deflector B discharging onto the uppermost plate of aseries of plates B and located one above the other and spaced apart andarranged in step form, so that one plate discharges the water onto thenext following plate until the last one discharges into the lower end ofthe chamber B, from which the cooled water flows into and accumulates inthe reservoir E.

The central plates B and B and the deflecting-cone B are secured on theshaft F of the turbine F, and on the said shaft are also secured themovable members of the blowers D and D. The plates B, B and B are fixedin the cooling-chamber B and supported in a suitable manner from theside wall thereof. Now the water in flowing down in the chamber B issubjected to a centrifugal action by the revolving plates to divide thewater, and the upward-flowin g air from the blower D acts on the dividedwater to rapidly cool the same. From the top of the chamber B leads aflue B for carrying 05 the air.

The blowers D and D are substantially alike in construction, and eachhas a shell D ,which in the case of the blower D is the lower end of theflue B. The shell D is provided with air-inlets D which for the lowerblower D are in the form of pipes extending through the wall of thereservoir E to the outside thereof for atmospheric air to pass into theshell, and the inlets for the blower D are in the shape of openingsconnecting the interior of the upper end of the chamber B with the shellfor the vapors to pass into the shell.

From the open end of the shell extends a conical flange D, onto theinside of which fits the frustum of a cone D", forming part of themovable member or piston of the blower, which member is secured to theshaft F of the turbine F. The frustum of the cone D is connected bycurved wings D with an inner frustum of a cone D having a hub D securedto the shaft F. When the turbine is in motion, the piston of the blowerrotates with it and by the action of the wings D causes a suction in theshell D so that air or vapor is drawn into the shell through theairinlets D and the drawn-in air is forced out by the wings D, and inthe case of the lower blower this air is blown upward and through thespaces between the plates B to come in contact with the water drippingofi the edges of the plates. The air finally rises in the chamber Bthrough the circuitous passage therein to cool the descending water. Incase the upper blower D is used the vapors drawn into the shell by theaction of the rotating piston and mixing with the air drawn in from thetop are partially condensed and forced out of the shell in a downwarddirect-ion, mixing with the liquid from pipe A, and are condensed andcooled off in their downward passage. In case the lower blower D is usedthese vapors are forced out of the top of the apparatus into theatmosphere.

The turbine F is provided with a series of buckets F arranged in acircle and extending angularly from the top to the bottom, and the upperends of the buckets are normally closed by a valve-casing F forming thebottom for the reservoir E to retain the water therein. In thevalve-casing F are arranged ports F*, located in a circle in registerwith the buckets F, and the said ports F" are normally closed byrock-valves F mounted in the valve-casing. The valves are radiallydisposed, and the inner ends of their valve-stems are provided with armsF connected by links H with a ring H, suspended by chains H from a floatH preferably in the form of a hollow ring rising and falling with thewater in the reservoir E. When the accumulating water in the reservoir Erises, the float H moves with it and in doing so imparts a turningmotion to the rock-valves F by the connection described, so that thevalves are opened and the water in the reservoir E now flows through theports F into the buckets F to act against the inclined walls thereof toturn the turbine F, and thereby actuate the blowers D D and rotate thewater-dividing plates in the chamber B for the purpose above described.The water in falling in the reservoir E causes a descent of the float Hand the ring H, which by its weight and that of the links H causes agradual closing of the valves F to shut off the water from the turbinefor the time being to allow the water to again accumulate in thereservoir E to form a working head for driving the turbine.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 the blower D is omitted,and in this case a series of fans L are employed and secured to theturbine-shaft F, the wings of the fans L being arranged to produceacurrent of air in a downward direction. Air from the outside is passedto each fan by way of pipes N, extending from the outside of the coolingchamber to a central chamber N, open at the bottom for the air to passdownward toward the hub of the fan, to be spread by the latter throughthe divided water directly below the plates B secured to the chamber andextending to within a short distance from the inner face of thecooling-chamber B. Plates B extend from the wall of the chamber B andare provided with central openings for the water to flow down onto thenext plate B below, from which the water flows down onto the next plateB below and near the inner sur-, face of the coolingchamber B, asindicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. Air passes out of the chamber B byopenings 0 in the lower end of the chamber B. The overflow edge B of theuppermost plate B is preferably serrated to insure a division of thewater in line streams, and the plates B and B are preferably providedwith radial ribs B to insure a proper uniform flow of the water in thecooling-chamber. Now by the arrangement described fresh air is movedagainst the downflowing water throughout the length of thecoolingchamber, and consequently a very rapid cooling of the water takesplace.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. An apparatus for cooling liquids, comprising aturbine, a reservoir above the turbine for the accumulation of thecooled water, and for forming a head for the turbine, a cooling-chamberabove the reservoir for the downflow of the water to be cooled, andmeans driven by the turbine and located in the upper part of thecooling-chamber for forcing air and the vapors rising during the coolingprocess in a downward direction in the cooling-chamber.

2. An apparatus for cooling liquids comprising a turbine, a reservoirabove the turbine for the accumulation of the cooled water, and forforming a head for the turbine, a cooling-chamber above the reservoirand having means for a zigzag downflow of the water, fans in the saidcooling-chamber and secured to the extended shaft of. the turbine to bedriven by the latter, and air-supply devices for the said fans, as setforth.

3. An apparatus for cooling liquids comprising a turbine, a reservoirabove the turbine for the accumulation of the cooled water, and forforming a head for the turbine, a cooling-chamber above the reservoirand having means for a Zigzag downflow of the water, fans in the saidcooling-chamber and secured to the extended shaft of the turbine to bedriven by the latter, and air-supply devices for the said fans, andconsisting of sets of pipes each set leading from the outside of thecooling-chamber to an air-chamber opening at its open lower end onto acorresponding fan, as set forth.

4. An apparatus for cooling liquids comprising a turbine, a reservoirabove the turbine, for the accumulation of the cooled water and forforming a head for the turbine, means for controlling the admission ofthe water to the turbine, a cooling-chamber above the reservoir, meansdriven from the turbine for forcing air in the cooling-chamber to coolthe liquid flowing down the cooling-chamber, and means located in theupper part of the cooling-chamber and driven from the turbine, forforcing the vapors, rising during the cooling process, in a downwarddirection in the cooling-chamber, as set forth.

5. An apparatus for cooling liquids, comprising a turbine, a reservoirabove the turbine, for the accumulation of the cooled water and forforming a head for the turbine, a cooling-chamber through which flowsthe liquid to be cooled, means driven from the turbine for forcingoutside air through the coolingchamber, and a blower at the top of thecooling-chamber for forcing the vapors rising during the cooling processin a downward direction in the chamber, the said blower having itsmovable member secured to the shaft of the turbine, as set forth.

6. An apparatus for cooling liquids, comprising a turbine, a reservoirabove the turbine, for the accumulation of the cooled water and forforming a head for the turbine, means for controlling the admission ofthe accumulated water to the turbine, a cooling-chamber above thereservoir through which flows the water to be cooled, means driven bythe turbine for forcing a current of air in the cooling-chamber, to coolthe liquid flowing down the coolingchamber,a receiving-chamber intowhich discharges the turbine, and means located in the upper part of thecooling-chamber for forcing the vapors rising during the cooling processin a downward direction in the cooling-chamber, as set forth.

7. An apparatus for cooling liquids comprising a cooling-chamber havinga circuitous passage for the downflow of the liquid, a blower connectedwith said chamber, and comprising a shell having air-inlets and aconical flange, and a revolving member in the shell having spaced conesand curved wings between the cones, and means for driving the blower, asset forth.

8. An apparatus for cooling liquids, comprising a cooling-chain berhaving a circuitous passage for the downflow of the liquid, means forforcing outside air through the chamber, and a blowerin the upper end ofthe chamber, having its inlet and outlet in the chamber, for forcingvapors in a downward direction in the chamber, as set forth.

9. An apparatus for cooling liquids provided with a cooling-chamberhaving a water-inlet at its upper end, sets of plates in the chamber forcausing the water to flow from one plate onto the other in a Zigzagdirection, fans under alternate plates, and air-supply pipes fordelivering fresh air from the outside to the fans, as set forth.

10. An apparatus for cooling liquids provided with a cooling-chamberhaving a waterinlet at its upper end, sets of plates in the chamher forcausing the water to flow from one plate onto the other in a Zigzagdirection, fans under alternate plates, and air-supply pipes fordelivering fresh air from the outside to the fans by way of air-chambersopen at the bottom and leading to the top of the fans at the hubsthereof, as set forth.

11. An apparatus for cooling liquids comprising a cooling-chamber havinga circuitous passage for the downflow of the liquid, means for forcingair through the chamber, and a blower at the top of the chambercomprising a shell having air-inlets and a conical flange, and arevolving member in the shell having spaced cones, and curved wingsbetween the spaced cones, as set forth.

12. An apparatus for cooling liquids comprising a turbine, a reservoirabove the turbine for the accumulation of the cooled water and forforming a head for the turbine, a cooling-chamber above the reservoir,fans in the said cooling-chamber and secured to the extended shaft ofthe turbine to be driven by the latter, air-supply pipes for deliveringair from the outside of the apparatus to the fans, and ablower in theupper part of the coolingchamber and having its movable member securedto the shaft of the turbine, as set forth.

the cooling-chamber, and a flue at the top of the cooling-chamber forthe passage of air, as set forth.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name 5 to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES .GROHMAN.

\Vitnesses:

EDW. J. HEIL, FRANK G. LASHER.

